This book was everything I wanted it to be! It had romance and humor and lots of really good music. It reminded me of Ali Hazelwood’s stem books in that it was so immersed in the musical aspect of it as well as the romance! This ticked all the boxes for me!

Why didn’t my parents make me learn an instrument?

Do I need to purchase CSO tickets immediately?

*googles violin lessons for elder millennials*

Gwen Jackson, a former subway performer with no formal violin training, has raw talent. Xander Thorne, Juilliard dropout and musical prodigy, has made a name for himself playing the electric cello in a rock band. After she arrives to a wedding gig and realizes they meant to hire a cellist, Gwen is forced to play Xander’s cello…and is horrified to discover he has absolutely no idea who she is despite working alongside him in the Manhattan Pops Orchestra for over a year. When she is offered the First Chair position over Xander, tensions simmer…until they boil over into something much more intense than a work rivalry.

This was my first Julie Soto novel and OH MY GOD???? The writing? Exquisite. The chemistry? Off the charts. The spice?! There is one scene that is so 🥵 that I thought I might faint on the train ride to work. Do you remember the Amalie Howard hero who played that ballerina like a cello? Xander Thorne said “hold my scotch, your grace.” I will be shocked if Not Another Love Song isn’t featured on the 2024 “best of” lists because if it’s not I might have to call the United Nations to report a crime against humanity. Like. I’m looking for more articulate words than MORE SEXY ORCHESTRAS NOW and I cannot seem to find them. This one will be very, very hard to top.

Not Another Love Song is out on 7/16/2024…which gives you three months to read Julie Soto’s debut novel if you’re an absolute schmoe like me who somehow missed that one last year.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this eARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

This is one of the best romances i've read in soooooo long. I ate it up & loved every second. i really enjoyed Julie Soto's first book but this one topped it in my opinion.

It's rivals to lovers and they're classical musicians. It's clear that so much love and thought went into writing this book, the amount of research the author must have done is astronomical. The music is what set this book apart from so many others, it pulls you in and it's a huge part of the plot & their relationship. I'm also a sucker for a dual pov & really enjoyed the way that it was done here.

Every single relationship in this book was so well fleshed out and written, the "parental" relationships especially. The author did an amazing job representing different types of parental figures and the way those relationships impact children as they grow.

I will 100% be adding this to my yearly romance rereads!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC <3

So readable and fun! This romance between two classical musicians was steamy, intense, and gave me the wholesome love story I wished Daisy Jones and the Six could have (yes, I know, controversial). I rly enjoyed Julie Soto's debut and this just sealed her in as an author to keep on my radar.

Julie Soto did it again. Not Another Love Song will probably live in my head forever. The tension, the romance, the heartbreak. This book was a masterpiece. There were too many moments that left me squealing and kicking my feet and plenty that made my heart drop. Xander and Gwen are top tier characters and their love story is so beautiful.

Thank you to Julie Soto, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC.

I will read everything Julie Soto ever rights. She writes the best characters and the best love stories.

Who knew the violin and cello would be hot? Not I.

I loved how much tension there was. Our boy Xander was so down bad from the start and I was here for it. Gwen was great, I just wanted her to get whatever she wanted and I feel like she does have some coming of age (can adults have a coming of age? Why do I think that’s only for teens?). Both Xander and Gwen have growth from the start to the end of this book and it’s a delight to see.

The music plot line was so good, it added so much tension and spice (which was so good lol) and room for some backstory and overall story development. it did not overshadow the romance or vice versa, they worked perfectly in tandem.

The third act conflict hurt me cause I wanted these dumb dumbs to be happy but it made sense and I’m obsessed with the way it’s resolved tbh it’s very fitting for them. I would like to read this again for the first time right now

Thank you NetGalley, Forever Publishing and Julie Soto for the ARC

First this cover is flawless!! This book was everything! I read it in a day because I could not put it down! Easily a 5 stars! The storyline, the character development, the chemistry, the love story, was all chef's kiss. Foremost, I LOVED that this felt so different from romances I've read lately with the focus on music as both part of their profession, personality, and ultimately their love. The banter and tension between the FMC and MMC was perfectly done. The focus on dislike to lovers and musical rivals to lovers was a breath of fresh air. It is just so so good. I can't recommend this book enough. Julie Soto was really able to get me just as invested in each of the main characters as individuals as well as their relationship. The writing style flowed perfectly between the chapters and POV. Also the descriptions of when they played? So beautifully done. I have no musical ability but could almost see and hear these scenes in my head. And the scene from the cover?!? Made me want to play an instrument. IFYKYK. Everyone needs to read this book!!

One thing about me is that if there’s a Reylo fan fic turned book, I’m going to read it! This is my first Julie Soto book, and I’m really impressed. I see shades of Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry in Soto’s writing style, and yet it still feels unique and fresh.

The progression between Xander and Gwen’s relationship was really well done. I don’t enjoy insta love stories, and that wasn’t present here. Their relationship kept growing, and the tension kept building in the best possible way. Both of our main characters are flawed individuals, and that comes across really well throughout the book.

I don’t like when a book is promoted as an enemies to lovers relationship when in actuality, it’s more like misunderstanding to lovers. If they’re going to be enemies they better HATE each other at the beginning. I also found that the book overall lacked some drama. Despite the act three breakup, things were going a little too well for all the characters.

The concept of found family was a large focus of this book, and it helps connect all the plot points really well. The ending was really satisfying and made sense. Julie Soto has just become an auto buy author for me.

Thank you to Forever publishing and Netgalley for the arc!

Gwen Jackson likes the stability of her life. The self-taught violinist plays for the Manhattan Pops. There are other opportunities out there, but why shake things up? The only problem is Xander Thorne, who plays cello for the Pops. He shows up late, is rude, and honestly did not even realize Gwen existed. He’s also part of her favorite band, Thorne and Roses. And he thinks Gwen can be doing so much more with her life.

When the two end up working together, sparks fly. Xander’s ready to move forward with Gwen and show her a whole new world, but he’s got some real mommy issues to get over first. Gwen might just be ready to move forward with Xander, but she’s afraid to take a leap of faith.
The heat between Gwen and Xander is palpable. This book is STEAMY. I also was intrigued by the relationship between Xander and his mother (and her husband).

Gwen was maybe 10% too wishy-washy, but I still rooted for her to stand up for herself.

Overall, this is a good, quick read with a lot of heat.

I am Definitely not the right audience for this one. The synopsis had me intrigued, but the story was far too sex heavy for my preference. I quickly DNF it

Gwen Jackson has risen above her meager beginnings to earn a spot in the Manhattan Pops orchestra. Granted, it’s only as seventh violin, but for someone without formal training, it’s quite an achievement. She’s making a living doing what she loves, even if she has to supplement it playing weddings and other events with her roommate Jacob.

It’s at one of these weddings, a posh, extravagant affair at a mansion in New Jersey, that a miscommunication means she has to play cello instead of violin, and transpose the music for violin in her head, playing on a borrowed cello.

And who supplied the last minute cello? Only Xander Thorne, the lead player of her favorite band, Thorne and Roses, famous for their rock songs on electric string instruments. And, weirdly, he plays first cello in the Pops. And has for over a year. And he doesn’t even recognize her. He’s hostile, arrogant, perennially late, and unprofessional, and now as she’s returning his cello, he’s criticizing her playing.

His playing is mesmerizing and she wishes she could infuse her performance with that kind of passion. And, sure, he’s physically attractive (thanks to the promo posters of the shirtless band that she used to have on her wall), but his personality is just awful.

As fate throws them together, he encourages her to play his electronic cello. His hands-on teaching teases a new emotional way of playing from her, and those emotions carry over to their feelings for each other, and the music they create together.

When their relationship becomes public, the pressure is intense, and they are torn between competing commitments, contracts, and the mentors who have had an outsized impact on their lives.

Julie Soto tells this story with her wonderful humor, and sizzling heat. Fans of her previous novel Forget Me Not will enjoy the cameo appearances of some of those characters as well.

Rivals to lovers
Found family
Rockstar romance
5⭐️


Both FMC & MMC are string players 🎻

He’s a moody perfectionist who only really knows how to expresses himself through music. She learned how to play when she was 12 and doesn’t know how good she really is.

3rd person with some dual POV starting a little deep into the book. I have a very hard time getting into 3rd person books but with Julie I didn’t notice until I was a few pages in.

Connections with Forget Me Not 🌸

Spicy with. The COVER, The CELLO scene 🥵

I know nothing about instruments and musical terms but loved the feel of music Julie Soto’s writing gave me. There was tension and lots of drama/past trauma, but the love story was beautiful.

Stars Wars

The last sentence in this book ❤️

So glad to get this book from Netgalley! Loved the storyline and the romance between Xander/Alex and Gwen. Their banter but also support for each other was entertaining. Their lives came together after some sacrifices on both ends but with a happy ending

Listen I will read anything Julien Soto writes, this includes fanfiction back In the day. I loved this book, and will make sure everyone knows it. I want to say more but.i don't want to spoil or give too much away...but I will say that cello scene...excuse me?? 🥵🥵

“ℑ 𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔴 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 ℑ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡 𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔶 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 ℑ 𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔡𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔪𝔲𝔰𝔦𝔠 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔥𝔢𝔯.”

•••

Excuse me while I go make this book my entire personality.

Ya’ll, when I tell you this book is HOT with a capital H-O-T…🥵

The tension, the pining, the SPICE. Julie you blew it out of the park. I literally have no words. I’m just OBSESSED with Alex and Gwen.

💭 My thoughts 💭

Gwen - my sweet baby angel. I love her with my entire heart. She makes me want to wrap her in bubble wrap and protect her at all costs. She deserves the world and to see her progression was just so lovely. To watch her grow, find her way, stand up for the things and people she loves? Amazing. So proud.

Alex. Hi. Woah. So freakin hot. You could put raw meat on him and it would cook. His little POV’s made me SCREAM. Every. Single. Time. To see his view, hear his thoughts - especially when it came to Gwen? I’m deceased. His ability to let go of who he thought he needed to be and fight for himself and the life he wanted? GO ALEX! I LOVE YOU.

•••

Please go give Julie’s amazing book some love. You deserve the cello lesson scene, TRUST ME.

Julie Soto’s done it again 😮‍💨 her writing is always so addictive, and keeps me engaged and entertained from beginning to end. Not Another Love Song was such a sweet and romantic read. I’d definitely recommend this to all my romance-loving friends!

Absolutely stunning, truly perfection. I feel so honored to have gotten to experience this book, and I can’t wait for the world to experience this beautiful story. Julie Soto’s writing is effortless, romantic, and addictive, almost dizzying so. I could not put this book down! I’ve been trying to put into words ways to encapsulate the story, but it’s so much more than any synopsis could say. It’s a New York love story. It’s a journey from sizzling tension to urgency both in the story and the chemistry between Xander and Gwen, and I loved every moment. My one worry with any book about music, is that I will have to read passages droning on trying to explain something that is meant to be heard and felt — but this book wiped that worry right from the first page. I could feel the it in every word Soto wrote, I could practically hear the music. Genius writing, beautiful story, don’t miss this one.

Julie Soto has done it again. With this second book, she has established herself as an insta buy romance author for me.

After loving ‘Forget me Not’, I was really looking forward to reading her second novel, and it did not disappoint at all. She has a way of immersing you in the world she creates, in making the character’s passions so realistic and intense, that you almost feel them as your own.

Our main characters are musical prodigies, which could’ve resulted in me not empathizing a whole lot with them, since I have absolutely no clue about music (specifically the world of instrumental music), but she managed to immerse me into the story and into their lives, to make me actually care about their career, their performances, their struggles, their successes… 
And, obviously, their love story. I really liked how “slow-burn” (or as slow burn as a romance novel can be) it was, how it felt like an actual song in crescendo, and how it finally exploded in the chorus. And I love how the steaminess and sexy moments were so intertwined with their performances. Who could’ve known reading about two people playing the violin and cello could be SO incredibly sensual, and evoke so many feelings, even when you’re not even listening to the sound?? Not me! But there I was, on the edge of my seat while they played and eyed each other.

My main complaint of the story was that the conflict and the conclusion felt super rushed, especially when the rest of the story was so well paced. The conflict felt a bit weak for me, and then it was solved in a few pages, so it didn’t even allow me to think, “oh my god, what if this one DOESN’T end well?”
And apart from their story, there were so many more smaller conflicts within the story, and those were also apparently resolved in a couple of scenes, which wasn’t very realistic to me.
But overall, I loved the story a lot, so totally worth it. 

Also, we see a few brief cameos of the characters from the first novel, which I always love in romance novels, as they create their own little multiverse-type of thing. It’s like seeing an old friend, finding out they’re doing well and thinking, “aw, I’m glad for them!”

This one gave me heartache, I loved it. It’s not as light as ‘Forget Me Not’, but for me the main couple had much better chemistry and I really enjoyed the push and pull of their relationship. FMC & MMC are musical prodigies and struggling to work out who they want to be, where they want to be, and navigating all the people who seem to own a part of them. They find a lovely solace in each other and I LOVED that music was genuinely a huge part of the story, it did just heighten everything for me. Music writing blended with sex scenes were just perfect.

+ Rivals-to-Lovers
+ Feel those good vibrations
+ Competence is sexy

I should also mention I just love Julie Soto, she is easily an insta-buy author for me. Her prose never disappoints, there's just always the perfect amount of banter and angsty moments. And of course the covers are gorgeous (by Nikita Jobson), I read this on kindle but will absolutely be getting the paperback ASAP

**Thanks NetGalley for the copy**